“I’ve completed the program three times now and I really like it. The app itself is a bit janky. Today for example there was no video whatsoever. Just the timer and the title of each exercise. That aside the program itself is great and I really feel like my strength has improved as a result.”
Thanks for the review :) We received a notification yesterday that our video hosting service was under maintenance, so I'm sorry they weren't available for you... everything should be working as intended now.
“I did the original Integral Strength program some 5-10 years ago. Back then, I watched the instruction videos on my computer, printed the training sheets and took them with me to the gym. I don't remember all details, but one thing that I see that has improved is that the program is more varied now. It's not the same exercises every time, which makes it more fun to do. I have a laptop in my home gym that I use to access the GMB program. Works fine. I started turning off the tutorial after the first 4-5 sessions.
Currently, I do about two sessions a week. I started a new routine in January, when I decided to do my training in the mornings. This works really well for me. I go for a run three to four mornings a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday usually). I do the IS sessions mainly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I've been planning on adding one session on Sundays as well. It might be better to train three times a week I think.
Doing my training in the mornings works well for me. It feels good to do the training first thing.
I like the fact that all exercises use my body weight instead of machines. I think IS combined with Mobility is a very good combination, just to keep healthy.
When I'm done with the program, I will most likely start over. I think I'll try the rings version next time around.”
“Integral Strength has helped me to unlock more of my body's potential than I have had access to at any point in my life; as I'm in my forties, I find it incredible that I can do things now that I couldn't when I was in my twenties.
This program is easy to follow, has great progressions, and makes strength training fun and motivating. Thank you to the team at GMB for creating something remarkable!”
“Great instruction and another extremely well-designed program as usual from GMB, I plan on repeating this one after cycling another GMB program. Of course you can repeat the programs as many times as you want for life.”
“I cannot say enough about Integral Strength! I loved the format and the variety! The program was fun and there were always modifications so that I could work on each movement in some way. In this program, you are gaining mobility, strength and motor control without pounding out endless reps of sloppy or unsuccessful movements. I have struggled with push-ups and pull-ups but by the end of this program, both of these movements (and others!) just felt so much stronger. I plan on redoing this program from the beginning because I gained so much from it.”
“I've gone through two iterations of Integral Strength, once when it was still early days of GMB and more recently through their Praxis platform and revamped version of the program. IS is a great introductory program for those seeking strength using only their body weight. This isn't a program where you will see huge gains in musculature, but your body will become stronger, as will your joints and ligaments. You'll also see where you're lacking, giving you a baseline of where to focus further effort. In terms of my training, IS serves as a great platform to jump into more specialized movements, movement training, or even further weight training.
There are a couple of down sides; even though you don't need a pull-up bar, the version of IS that doesn't use pull-ups doesn't have an adequate means of working your back. The only other negative is the use of the L-Sit. Most people have a very hard time with this move, and I feel this particular move doesn't belong in this program as it requires a significant amount of strength to execute effectively. These are minor quibbles, for sure.
Overall, I really enjoy IS; it's expertly paced and fun - at the end of the program, I am always left feeling a lot stronger than when I started.”
“I'm currently doing Integral Strength rings for the second time. I restarted right after I completed the first time because I love it! It keeps my interest so I keep doing it, it has great tutorial videos to show you how to get your beginning move (e.g. kneeling pushup) and variations for the stronger folks which emphasize good form to ensure you don't do damage to your shoulders/elbows. It is well rounded and got me to think through all sorts of movements I didn't know I couldn't do (bridge!). If you are already strong you can swap in an advanced progression where they are suggesting something which is too easy (e.g. look for their article on 20 advanced pushup variations). Pushups, pullups, levers, bridges... to paraphrase "he who is tired of GMB I.S. is tired of life!"”
